With the summer holidays are almost upon us, lets consider how we take a break from work. By a break, I mean a real break. Unplugging and disconnecting from work, to revive and refresh. No checking emails, taking calls, sending messages. No thinking about work piling up or jobs that can’t wait.

The office Christmas party is an occasion that many Kiwi’s look forward to all year. It’s the ideal opportunity for employees and employers to get together in a more relaxed environment and toast to the year that has been.

As both a sponsor and judge of the Talent ID Employee of the Year Award for the Westpac Rotorua Business Excellence Awards, along with my co-judge Don Gunn from Eves Realty, the task has been both rewarding, awe-inspiring and incredibly challenging. As we have another year of Business Excellence Awards behind us (Rotorua) it has been both motivating and inspiring to see organisations putting themselves forward to be judged. Congratulations to the businesses and individuals who took the time and put themselves out of their comfort zone to be recognised amongst their business peers.

The minimum wage set to increase again as of April 1, to $15.75, reflecting a slow but steady climb over the past few years. The minimum wage is reviewed annually on December 31, and it would seem that the political pressures of an election year have prompted another increase.